


A Minor Misunderstanding

by ThatMasterOnline



Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-08
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 21:22:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29923044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatMasterOnline/pseuds/ThatMasterOnline
Summary: Zagreus overhears Patroclus, as he sometimes does, and in an instant Zagreus starts to question how Achilles and Patroclus really feel about him.No smut.
Relationships: Achilles/Patroclus/Zagreus (Hades Video Game)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 56





	A Minor Misunderstanding

Zagreus walks into the chamber as usual, and he overhears a snippet of Patroclus's ongoing soliloquy, as usual, but there is nothing usual about what he hears, this time.

"That _blasted_ god, I hope he is treating you with every due respect…" Zagreus freezes, and his blood runs cold. 'That blasted god', does that mean him? Did he do something wrong? Did he offend Achilles somehow? What did he do? He runs up the steps, and when he arrives Patroclus treats him like nothing has changed.

"Achilles is returned to work for now…But, waiting for him, knowing he'll return...rather than waiting for the sake of it, for nothing... such a different feeling, stranger. I'd forgotten it entirely, I think."

"I'm happy for the both of you." He pauses. "So...is everything alright, then?" He hates the hesitation in his voice, and realizes it's much too direct to just ask outright, of he adds,

"The circumstances under which you were separated in life...It's unimaginable, really. How does one move on from a thing like that?"

"Anger Fades, I guess, stranger. Even the famous anger of Achilles. Anger burns hot, then burns out. What's left is a dull ache, but...underneath it, there was something else. It felt as though...well, I was still alive. That feeling... It's worth holding onto." And that's it. Patroclus offers him his usual selection of food items, and Zagreus carries on his merry way. And, if he dies a few chambers later, too distracted by the heaviness in his heart...well, there's no one to see but the shades.

Zagreus paces his room in the House. Had he done something? He searches his every memory, but he can't find anything out of place. Achilles and Patroclus treat him exactly as they always have. He hasn't done anything.

But maybe that's just it. Maybe he hasn't done anything wrong, and they just...don't like him. It's not as if they could _say_ anything, he's the Prince of the Underworld, and Achilles is under his _father's_ employment. They could hate his guts and still be forced to play nice with him. Zagreus sits on his bed, and wipes the tears from his eyes.

That's it, isn't it? They hate him. But why? What did he do? He's been nice, he helped them get back together...He'd bent over backwards for them, and Achilles had always been so kind...what had he done? Well...nothing to do but ask, he supposes.

"Achilles, sir? I notice I haven't seen you around much, and I just wondered if...everything was alright?"

"Of course, lad. Perhaps I've been a touch busy with my duties at the House, of late, but I assure you everything is fine. I have my Pat in my life, nothing could possibly be wrong."

"Alright, sir. I just wanted to make sure."

"And that's very generous of you."

But he's lying, he has to be. Why else would Patroclus get so upset about the way he was treating Achilles. Or...perhaps Patroclus is upset, not on Achilles's behalf, but just...because Patroclus is the one upset with him? He should ask.

"Patroclus, sir, I was wondering...are you alright? You've been...a little distant, of late, and I wondered perhaps if I've offended you somehow."

"Distant, you say? I don't recall being or feeling distant, and I certainly didn't mean to make you doubt your standing with me. You've not offended me in any way, in fact I hardly think it's possible with how frustratingly kind you are. If I'm distant, I assure you it's merely that I'm lost in thought. It sometimes happens, especially when you've no one to talk to but yourself." Zagreus shivers, and he forces a smile to his face that feels sickly, to his mind.

"I see. Alright, then."

Back in his room, Zagreus can't stop crying. Frustratingly kind? _Frustratingly_ kind? Is _that_ the problem? Is he too kind? How can someone be _too_ kind? ...Should he be less kind? No, that would be a _terrible_ idea...but what can he do? How can he fix being too kind? And...Patroclus had said, again, that nothing was wrong...but then _why?_ Why would he say what he did, and with that tone, he was so _angry_ , there must be _something_ , but what? What had he done? And why won't they just _tell him_?

"Achilles…" he says, and he hates how hesitant he sounds. They'll only hate him more for this clinginess, he's sure. "If you were upset with me...you'd tell me, wouldn't you?"

"I can't possibly imagine a world where I'm upset with you, lad...but yes. We myrmidons do not let things fester, we prefer to get things out in the open and clear the air immediately. If I were upset with you, and again, I cannot fathom a world when I _am_ upset with you...I would tell you. What brought this on, lad?" Zagreus nearly trips over himself to deflect, to assure him that it's fine. Gods forbid Achilles thought Zagreus was being _needy_.

"Oh, nothing, nothing, I just...I get the strange sense that people aren't really talking to me much. It's a bit odd, that's all."

"I wouldn't think too much about it, lad. People have their moods, I'm sure it'll pass."

"Alright. Thank you sir."

"Of course, lad."

But then _why_?? What does he mean? He can't imagine a world where he's upset with him? But that world exists? It's right here, right now? Why won't they tell him what he's done wrong, so he can fix it?!

"Hey, sirs!" They're both there, this time. And that's worse, somehow. Do they talk about him, when they're together? What do they say?

"How goes it, lad?"

"Oh, well enough...Are you sure I haven't done anything wrong, though? If I've done something to upset you, I'll make it right somehow, I promise." Clingy, clingy, clingy, _clingy_ …!

"Nobody's upset with you, Stranger," Patroclus says, and Zagreus is almost sure that's exasperation he hears, a 'stop asking or I might actually tell you what a horrible person you are, and that would be rude' kind of sentiment that twists Zagreus's gut. He smiles, despite wanting to cry.

"Right, of course. Being silly, I suppose. I'll be off, then. See you, sirs!"

Why, why, why, _why_?! Why can't they just _tell him_ they hate him, why do they have to _pretend_? Of course he understands _why,_ they're being polite to the prince, but he wishes they would just stop talking to him if they hate him so much.

They're together again when he sees them next, and Patroclus smiles at him.

"There he is again, come to disturb my peace." It's meant in jest, he's sure it's meant in jest, buy maybe there's a thread of truth there, maybe they're sick of him intruding on their peace, and he's asked over and over, and dammit, why can't they just _tell him_ to leave them alone, why do they have to do this gods damned _dance,_ and he _hates_ it, he's hurting, can't they see he's hurting?! He wants to make it better, why can't they just _tell him how_?!

And it all gets to be too much, and the dam breaks and Zagreus sobs and immediately covers his face as though he could somehow hide the tears that have now been bared for the world to see.

"Oh dear...I meant it in jest, stranger, you could never disturb me, you know that." There's an awkward pat on his shoulder, and he flings it off with...perhaps a little more force than was necessary, but he's just so _angry at them, dammit,_ because all of this would be solved if they'd just stop _lying_ to him!

" _Stop it_! Stop acting like you're not angry with me! I've done something, now _tell me what it is, dammit!"_

"Lad, you haven't done anything-"

"Yes I _have!_ Stop lying to me, I can't take it! I don't care that I'm the prince, I don't care that you're serving my father, stop pretending and just tell me what I've done so I can fix it or get out of your lives, alright?!"

"And what, pray tell, do you think this imaginary slight against us is, stranger?"

"I don't know, so just tell me!"

"You don't know, but you're absolutely certain there has been a slight. Tell me then, what makes you so sure that this terrible slight even exists?"

"Because you said so! I heard you!"

"Indulge me then, stranger: What _exactly_ is it that you heard me say?"

"That blasted god, I hope he is treating you with every due respect," Zagreus quotes, from memory, because the words have repeated so often in his mind he couldn't possibly forget them, "I did something, and I don't know what I did, but I'm _sorry_ , okay? I want to make it better, just _please_ …! Tell me what I can do…"

"Zagreus. I want you to know, in no uncertain terms, that neither Achilles or I have ever been upset with you in the slightest, and that if you think we're angry at you then you are, without a doubt, delusional."

"Pat, _really_ -"

"I need to make my point, Achilles, and clearly I need to make it firmly so we stop this nonsense here and now."

" _Pat._ "

"But-but you said, I _heard you_ -"

"How many gods does Achilles have contact with, down at the House?"

"Wh-But-"

"Answer the question, Zagreus, it's quite a simple one." Zagreus sobs at Patroclus's tone.

"Me…"

" _And_? There's more than just you, Zagreus, I hate to break it to you, but you are _not_ the center of the universe."

"You're upsetting him, Pat."

"He's upset _himself,_ Achilles, I'm trying to get him _out of it_. Answer the question, Zagreus."

"M...me, and...and...Hypnos, and...Thanatos...and my father…"

"Wonderful, four whole gods. And of those four gods, Zagreus, which one has a reputation for being a surly brute prone to fits of temper who has never treated a shade with the proper respect in his life? Which one does Achilles serve, directly? Which one would be most likely to disrespect Achilles? Which one would I have a genuine cause to worry is not treating the love of my life with all the kindness and respect he deserves?" Zagreus has stopped crying now, and he's trembling. 

"You...You...weren't...you…"

"Say it, stranger. I want to hear it from your own lips."

"You...were talking about my _father_ …"

"Now I know you haven't been raised like a Myrmidon, but it's worth mentioning that all of this would have been solved quite easily if you had simply said-" And he does a fairly passable imitation of Zagreus's voice. "-'Patroclus, sir, was that me you were calling a blasted god just now? Because that hurt my feelings and I don't like it'. And I would have said, 'No, stranger, it was your father I was calling a blasted god, because he is a blasted god and he's made my Achilles's life absolutely miserable and I hate him'. Now wouldn't that have been so much easier?" Zagreus puts his hands over his eyes, and starts to cry again.

"Please don't tell me you think I'm upset with you for being stupid now."

"I made a mess of things…"

"You let a teeny little misunderstanding blow wildly out of proportion, but we've settled our differences, we've got it all sorted out, I'm going to give you a big hug, you're going to have a nice good post-stress cry, and then you'll go on your merry way. That's not a mess, that's one loose article of clothing that is being picked up and put away as we speak. Now brace yourself, stranger, because you are about to get the best hug of your immortal life."

Patroclus hugs him then, and he's so enormous compared to him that Zagreus feels absolutely enveloped in warmth, and when Achilles's almost equally large form wraps around his back Zagreus sobs again.

"Please don't ever let me go," he chokes, and Patroclus hums.

"See, look, you're better at expressing yourself already. I can't say I won't _ever_ let you go, stranger, but I will hold you for a long time, right now, and then again whenever you want."

"I'm sorry…"

"That's the nice thing about being a Myrmidon, stranger. Now that the matter's been resolved, it's already forgotten."

**Author's Note:**

> So has anyone else gotten that dialogue line from Patroclus? Because it is a canon line, I took a screenshot, and in the five seconds it took me to figure out Patroclus was probably talking about Hades I almost cried.


End file.
